The Bells
by The Shine Queen
Summary: Sesshoumaru's hearing things. Songfic.


Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha.

_The song is The Bells by The Originals. I listened to the song about fifty-seven times to get the lyrics right._

* * *

_I'll never hear the bells if you leave me _

_I'll never (oh oh oh) hear the bells_

Sesshomaru smelled something divine. It wafted pass him and he turned his head in time to see a tall dark-haired woman walking towards the door of the bookstore. She wore a sapphire blue beret and a long black cloak-like coat that hid her shape. His nose twitched as he sniffed tentatively in her direction. It was her.

_I'll never hear the bells if you leave me_

_I'll never (oh oh oh) hear the bells_ _(oh)_

Suddenly he felt an urgency to do something, anything to make her notice him. Even as his ego snorted in amusement he made his move. He used his demon speed to catch her just as she was opening the door. He snatched her up and sealed his lips to hers.

_Do you hear what I hear when your lips are kissing mine?_

The world stopped as his senses swam. Her lips were like pillows and slightly sticky from whatever was on them. That didn't deter him. He pushed his tongue into her mouth and was surprised when she responded eagerly. Vaguely, he heard a ringing sound and wondered what it was. He leaned into her and she leaned back. Him being heavier won. The shift of weight pushed the door further open.

_Do you the hear the bells, honey? _

Sesshoumaru was suddenly brought back to himself by an "ahem!" accompanied by a soft poke in his side, and a smart "If you'll pardon me...?" He turned to see an old man smirking and a queue of people behind him. As he came back to himself, he could hear the whistles and giggles.

He suddenly felt very foolish at his actions and looked down at the woman he had accosted. Her eyes and lips were smiling at him and he didn't feel so silly any more. He did have the grace to blush as he murmured, "Do you hear the bells?" Her bright blue eyes twinkled up at him.

_Do you hear them ringing when I'm kissing you baby?_

**Eight months later...**

"Kagome! Don't make this any harder than it has to be! I-"

**CRACK!**

The door slammed as his girlfriend stormed out of the house. He sat down and sighed a bit morosely. He hadn't wanted to hurt her, but there had been no other way to break it to her. He wanted time to himself. Things were moving way too fast for him. The feelings between him and her were so intense that he felt that he needed some space.

To say she had taken it badly would be an understatement. His face was still burning from the stinging slap she had delivered on her way out. He had deserved it, though.

Oh well... time to move on...

_What do I have to do to make you feel the tingling too?_

Ten weeks later he'd had enough. He had to get Kagome back. Nothing was the same without her. He was angry at work, sad at home and even the females he had dated had gotten on his nerves. He felt a deep dissatisfaction with the world in general. Let's not even talk about the bells! They didn't ring at all! Every time he'd kissed Kagome he'd heard them tinkling in his head and they had fueled his lust for her even more. With all of these other women they had remained silent. He couldn't get it up at all! Even before her, this type of phenomena hadn't ever occurred.

_Can't you hear the bells honey?_

He looked at his watch. Kagome would be leaving the bookstore soon. It was funny that she had actually been the owner of the bookstore he had kissed her in. He smiled wistfully to himself and grabbed his jacket.

He slid inside the store stealthily and waited. He had to time this just right. He peeked past a bookshelf and saw her put on her beret and close the coat. He stepped back so she wouldn't see him as she passed and his heart beat double time as her beloved face went by.

_Say it's just as good to you as it is to me_

She opened the door and he made his move. He snatched her up and kissed her hungrily. He smiled against her mouth as he heard the faint tinkling in his head. At first, she pushed at him to release her before finally surrendering and grabbing the lapels of his jacket. She tasted like manna to him. He kissed her like his life depended on it. It did though, he thought wryly. He pulled her closer and pushed the door closed. Kagome looked up at him slightly dazed.

_I hear the bells _

_Oh oh oh I hear the bells _

_Oh oh ringing in my ears_

"Sesshoumaru, wha-"

"Kagome, I'm sorry. I am so sorry. I thought I could go through this life without you, but I was wrong. I didn't think that something that felt so right was real. Everyday without you was dark, lonely and cold without the warmth and brightness of your presence and your smile. And I couldn't do without the bells."

Something flickered in Kagome's eyes. The bells...?

_Oh say do you love me?_

_Do you love me? _

_Do you love me? _

_Do you love me like I love you?_

_Oh baby _

_Oh love _

Sesshoumaru got down on one knee, eliciting gasps from customers.

"I know this is sudden and I deserve for you to throw me out, but there's no one else in this world I would rather have. I've lived a long time and done a lot of things, but I've never lived as fully as I have with you." He reached into his pocket. "The greatest day of my life was when I kissed you for the first time. Will you marry me? Please, Kagome? I'll never hear the bells again if you don't come back." He held open a small box. Inside was a large square cut blue diamond engagement ring.

_True love and joy faith and all life's dreams _

_I'll give to you darling_

_My love is yours exclusively _

_To enjoy any way you want to_

Kagome's eyes welled up with tears. To think he, Mr. Freeze, could thaw enough to say those words and in public too! She smiled happily. "Yes, Sesshoumaru, I will." His eyes glowed like two amber suns as he gathered her to him.

**Ten months after that...**

"You may now kiss the bride."

_But it's one thing I want you to remember _

_If you ever leave me _

_I believe I've always sang _

_Darling I'll never hear the bells again_

Sesshoumaru looked down at Kagome as she handed her bouquet to Sango, her maid of honor. Images of their life together flitted past his mind in minute scenes. The ensuing months had not been easy ones, but they had made it here. There had been mistakes, but he had fixed them...

_Oh no no no no oh oh baby_

_Don't leave me _

Once he had let his temper get the better of him. She had stayed in a hotel for three days until he'd gotten over his ego and went to get her.

_Don't leave me baby _

Another time there had been a misunderstanding. In his arrogance he had let the misconception stand. She'd stayed with Sango for a week. He'd had to drop his hauteur and get his apologies right.

_Oh oh oh oh baby_

_Don't leave me_

The last time had been a real doozy. She had thrown his ring back at him and returned to Sango's house. This time shored up by her sister, Kikyo and her cousins, Kagura and Ayame. It had taken almost a month and it had been a close one at that. Countless phone calls, multitudes of flowers, help from family (Inuyasha included) and friends alike (yes, even hers), and a campaign that hadn't been seen since the likes of Oda Nobunaga roamed this earth had taken place.

_Don't leave me baby_

He'd moved the wedding up two months just to hedge his bets. She wasn't getting away again.

Kagome quirked her head and raised her eyebrows slightly. "Sesshoumaru..?"

He blinked twice and focused on her. "Hn?"

The bridesmaids and grooms snickered.

"You can kiss me now." Her blue eyes were mischievous

The congregation chuckled. Microphones were such wonderful things.

He flushed slightly, pulled her to him and gave a four star performance.

The air was suddenly filled with a soft shushing tinkling sound and Sesshoumaru pulled back quickly from Kagome. "Do you hear them? Can you hear the bells, too? I hear them every time I kiss you."

Kagome smiled indulgently and said "Look."

Turning, he saw that everyone in the congregation was waving little soft blue bells with misty pink ribbons attached. He turned to Kagome with a mystified look in his eyes. "I don't get it and why do they sound like that?"

She grabbed his hand and squeezed it. "Bells are an integral part of our relationship. The first thing you said to me was "Do you hear the bells?" Her eyes twinkled. "When you proposed to me you told me that you couldn't do without the bells." She paused as the priest introduced them as Mr. and Mrs. Sesshoumaru Taisho. "Not to mention that every time you came to get me back you would tell me that the bells had stopped ringing." She took her bouquet back from Sango and looked up at him again. "To answer your other question they sound like that because I had them modified for your hearing." She kissed the back of his hand. "And to finally answer the question that your ears have been burning for since I met you. Yes."

"Yes?"

"Yes. I've always heard the bells. I've heard them from the first moment you touched me."


End file.
